Running Ahead
by Amberheat
Summary: This starts where (basically) the last book leaves off. All about Morgan in Scottland and her adventures there...and also about Hunter's time in England with his father lecturing about th "bubble spell" and such...review please! Hope you like it...
1. Welcome to Scottland

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Note: I do not own any of these characters…except the people I make up. But unfortunately I didn't come up with Morgan, Hunter, ect…don't sue me! This is just for fun..

- "they're fools if they think I'll just lie here powerless. This is just another obstacle for me to defeat. Patience and time is all I need." -

A heavy breath escaped my sunburned lips as I looked up at the towering ancient building in front of me. Goddess, I still can't believe I'm standing here. The building practically oozed with archaic magik. I took a fresh breath.

I turned around at a loud thud behind me and saw the taxi driver had finished dumping my stuff on the curb. I quickly paid him and tried to gather up my belongings. I hated barging in on this mysterious place lugging my whole life around, but it couldn't be helped. I started inside tugging and kicking everything along, feeling more out of place by the second. I glanced up and quickly cast my senses out along the seemingly dead campus. I know I'm two weeks early, but _some_ people should still be starting to filter in.

I'd been lost since I left Hunter seventeen hours ago, but this was the icing on the cake. I'd never felt so alone in my life. Going into a place I don't know, in a country I've barley even heard of, filled with foreign people who have all heard of me, yet I don't know them, isn't exactly my kind of fun. I'm one of the shyest people I know. Though I've been gradually getting over that. Its amazing what a few brushes with death will do to you. That sense of loneliness was the only thing that accompanied me as I made my way up the stone stairs. I successfully maneuvered myself and my belongings through the door and glanced around.

The room had a large woven rug down on the stone floor. A group of coaches clustered on the right side were found, along with a few massive book shelves and fireplace. I longed to run my fingers across the spines of each book, pull them out, and huddle in the corner reading until my eyes fell out. Straight ahead, twenty feet or so away from me were two huge double doors, opening up to a gorgeous courtyard.

I turned my head to survey the other side and was almost shocked to see life. A man was immerging from another set of doors. 

"Ah, welcome…" He greeted in a strong voice. "You must be-"

He paused as he realized I was blocking him from casting his senses to me. "Morgan Rowlands."

"Yes." I tried to answer just as strongly.

He smiled. "Good. Dorms are straight across this courtyard, I believe…your in room 22. Marie is already there. She'll let you in. Second floor."

After silently gasping about the distance I had to lug my stuff, I started over there. I made my way over a path and took in all the scents. Herbs and magikal plant were everywhere. I eventually came across another building and went inside. I was making my way around the second floor coorider, hopefully in the direction of my room, when a head surrounded by untamed short black curls poked out of a door a few feet away.

"Allo. Are you possibly one of my…roommates?"

I walked to her. The door read twenty-two.

"I am indeed." I said.

She wrinkled her nose. "Oui. You must be the American. I've never heard such _weird _English."

But she laughed and I thought she was teasing so I smiled too.

"There are two beds left." She went into the room and I followed.

The room was square and a bed lay against a wall on each of the three sides. I took the one to my right. Each bed had a desk on one side and a small dresser on the opposite side. I started to unpack my stuff.

"Mm, who is he?"

I glanced up and found Marie looking at a picture of Hunter and I.

"Ahh, my boyfriend."

"Oui…He is migon no?"

"Migon?"

"Migon…er-ah…migon, migon. Cute!"

"Oh. Yea." I blushed slightly. 

"You love him."

It was more of a statement then a question but I nodded anyways. 

"That is good. I'm still…I have not found any man to love. Perhaps this year will change that. It is--a dinner now. Are you coming to eat?"  
I glanced at my watch. It was almost five o'clock. "Ah no, I'm still queasy from the flight." 'And from missing Hunter'. I silently added. 

"D'accord. A tout ta leur." She said a second latter. I think she 'heard' the last comment I made about Hunter. It was very possible. 

I breathed a sigh when she shut the door and I sat down. I looked at my right hand and lightly touched the beautiful silver ring Hunter had just given me at the airport. Would he mind if I called him so soon? What time was it there? He would want to know I've arrived safely at least, I decided at last. I picked up the phone, more confident, and dialed the numbers on my calling card.

"Morgan?"

My heart did a flip-flop hearing his voice. How did I manage the whole flight without it?

"Hey." I replied softly. 

"Hi. Is everything alright?" 

"Yea. I just missed you."

I could actually feel his body's sence of relief hit and his English voice lost it's frantic edge. He filled it with all the love and kindness he could muster. "I miss you too love."

I smiled.

"So how is it?" He asked.

"Well, I just got here."

"Was your flight good?"

"Yes."

"I'm leaving for England Tuesday. I'm going to stop by you first thing."

My heart leaped. Today was Wednesday. I'd see him in six days. "Good."

"I can't wait."

"I know. I'm already excited."  
"When do classes start?"

"Not for another two weeks."

"Is anybody there?"

"Yea…I eventually found some living human beings. One of my roommates is here."

He laughed. "I wish I was there."

"You will be."

"Alright. Da needs me. Talk to you soon love."

"Bye." I said quietly. We "rung off" as he would put it.

I firmly decided the rest of the unpacking could wait until tomorrow. I put some sheets on my bed, then got under my fluffy comforter. I was jetlagged-exhausted so sleep came very easily. 


	2. Study Circle

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Thank you so much to my very encouraging reviews--you made my day. Again, I unfortunately was not the brilliant mind who created Morgan, Hunter, and crew, all that credit goes to the wonderful Cate.

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August 17, 2003

It is a truly amazing feat that I have not killed myself. These idiots I'm forced to work with. Spending their days explaining to anyone within earshot how strong they once were. Especially that new one. If they were so bloody strong they wouldn't be in this predicament, would they? I use my power around them to taunt them. They get so angry I want to laugh at them-- their anger can't touch me. Especially that new one. I'm having fun with that one. -KL

Weird singing. Jeeze, what is that? Doesn't even sound like English. Wait-- it's not English.

It took me a few minutes the next morning to remember where I was; and why my back hurt so much. I disdainfully pried one eye open and searched for the numbers on my alarm clock. Ahhh! That couldn't be right. I don't wake up that early. I wondered idly if my new room infester would mind terribly if I told her to shut her bloody mouth up and go back to sleep. 

I smiled at the last part. More Hunter rubbing off on me. (Of coarse then that pictured Hunter literally rubbing me…) Five days. I could make it.

"Hmm, good dream?"

Oh no. Tell me she's not standing over me. Oh I can't do this. I need my own room. Again I opened my lashes. Oh, Goddess. She's _right_ there. What posses this devil child

I threw my feet over the side of the bed and got into a standing position. I silently scolded myself to be nice. It's not her fault she's foreign and knows nothing about the glorious wonders of sleep. 

****

"Hiya Marie. I see your up _early_."I mumbled, trying o insert a perky note into it. I failed. 

"Bof. This, this is not early."

"It is _5:43 _Marie." I fumbled through one of my bags.

"Oui. The sun rose hours ago."

It tried to mentally black her out of my mind as I desperately clutched my coke can, ransacking my brain, trying to remember how you open it. Ahh yes. There we go. I gulped a revitalizing sip, then tore into my Poptarts.

"Breakfast is in twenty minutes."

"No." I said numbly, dumbfounded. I was so not waking up by six everyday.

"Oui. I agree. I don't know why they wait so long."

I shook my head to clear it before I returned to demolishing my healthy breakfast.

Two hours and two meals latter, I must admit, I was a lot better. I no longer wanted to strangle my new "copain". I was even fairly content with listening to her beautiful city in France. It beat trying to tell her about what _I've _been doing the last year or so. She told me all about her four years of college at some notorious French academy, and how happy she was to be accepted here after all that work.

"Oh! Tatiana!" Marie exclaimed excitedly as she dragged me into the main room I had walked into yesterday. 

A tall girl sat curled up on one of the couches. Her black hair streamed over her shoulder as she sat engrossed in a huge book. She looked up at her name and quickly brushed the book aside and stood. She was imposingly tall, with perfectly fitted designer close around a body even Bree would get jealous of. Her thick lips rose into a smile.

"Marie." They kissed each others cheeks. "I look around today, and I don't see vou. I thought vou had died. What kept you? Are we not to have a circle today?" Her heavy Russian voice seemed to cut through the musty room.

"No, no. I was showing Morgan around this place. She is my new room mate."

"Oh I see. Vou join us?"

A chance to practice magic with two well versed witches? Oh yea. Tatiana cast a circle which we stepped inside of. 

"I found this studying charm I think would be useful." Tatiana said and drew three small pieces of quartz out of her pocket. "Place your stone in front of vou then hold hands."

The three of us did, all sitting down knee to knee, and I grasped their hands. She instructed us to repeat her after she finished reciting the spell the first time, then finish with the words 'So mote it be'. 

My magiks strong and my powers true

But I could still use a little help from you

Fill this stone with knowledge pure

So when I touch it I am sure

I can remember every fact I learn

To use it latter for every life's turn

She recited the spell first and Marie and I both had no trouble picking up the words. We all repeated it together, then stood up and started walking clockwise. It was amazing. I had done circles with other blood witches before, but this was so intense. It reminded me of my first time with magik. It was a whole new experience. It was only a small, simple spell, but I could feel so much power. We eventually lifted out arms up, then down whispering 'so mote it be'. I had no doubt that each of our little stones would do its little trick. As we cleaned up, a man walked into the room.

"Well, well. Finally I catch some new faces. I was beginning to think all of our new practitioners were going to hide and stay away until the last possible moment. Welcome back Tatiana."

"Professor Klume." Tatiana greeted. 

"I trust you had a good summer."

"Yes. I enjoyed being home."

"Good, good. And to whom am I having the pleasure of meeting?"

"Marie Angeo."

"Morgan Rowlands."

"Well, its definitely a pleasure to meet you both. I was once taught be Elisabeth Wildon. She's an incredibly gifted instructor, and I've never heard her talk so highly about one of her students." He laughed. "Which of coarse delights me because I teach Astral Travel. I daresay that was your main focus?"

"Oui."

"Very exciting. And Morgan Rowlands. Your name has certainly come up a few times. I have done some work for the Council. They are most impressed by you-- and trust me, that's not an easy task to accomplish. 

What was I supposed to say to that? "Thanks."

"It's great to meet you both. Come, lets talk over lunch.:

By the end of the magnificent 'croque-monsuer' lunch I really decided I liked the easygoing young Phillip Klume. It was my first time trying the sandwich combination of high calorie homemade bread, Swiss cheese, and ham. I loved it. And I was very excited to try this Astral Travel the three of them were talking about. Apparently you can "leave your body" and watch things from your past, and even if you get really good, things from your future. IT sounded very interesting. Apparently Marie was very good at it too.

I basically spent the rest of the day unpacking, organizing my stuff, and hanging up some posters and pictures. I was more then once tempted to call Hunter, but refrained myself. He didn't need me calling him twenty-four seven. I ended up deciding to write my parents a letter. I took out my brand new stationary set Sharon had given to me before I left, and the set of gel pens Bree had dished out to me, and started writing.

I wrote about the very entertaining flight and how "picture pefect" Scotland was. I tried to focus on every non-magikal, very normal aspect of this whole experience. I talked about the people I had met and everything I deemed safe. Afterwards, Marie wanted to sleep, and I was steadily getting more tired, so I decided to turn in also. 


End file.
